Connector



June 22, 1954 E. L. JOHN SO N CONNECTOR Filed sept. 21, 195o 2 shetS-sheet 1 June 22, 1954 Filed Sept. 2l, 1950 E. L. JOHNSON 2,682,038

CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /A/VE-A/roe EL BER-r L. JomvsoN Patented June 22, 1954 CONNECTOR Elbert L. Johnson, Warren, Ohio, assigner to General Motors Corporation,

poration of Delaware Detroit, Mich., a cor- Application September 21, 1950, Serial No. 186,023

(Cl. 3392l4) 20 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical connecting means and more particularly to line connectors for providing a detachable electrical connection between two or more electrical lines or circuits.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and economical connector for a metallic line terminal plug which may be conveniently made from a single sheet of sheet metal in which integral portions of the sheet metal is formed to provide rigid terminal engaging edges and in which another integral portion of the sheet metal is resilient to urge a plug terminal into good Contact engagement with the edges and in which integral means are provided to lock connector with a sleeve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connector including a plurality of parts, one of which is in the form of a single sleeve of insulating material or molded plastic in which may be readily mounted a plurality of metallic connectors, each insulated from each other and each interlocked with the sleeve, and each providing for an electrical connection between two current conducting wires. 'Ihe above and other objects of the invention is accomplished by pro viding a tubular sleeve having spaced abutments therein, a conducting element or elements insertable in one end of the sleeve having provisions for receiving plug type terminals, said element or elements having spaced apart means engaging the abutments for locking the elements within the sleeve, one of the locking means being yieldable and adapted to snap behind one of the abutments.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following' description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the connector on an enlarged scale, showing a socket member assembled within a sleeve and showing a spade type terminal being inserted within the sleeve.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line il-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a View similar the spade type terminal in with the socket member.

Fig. 5 is an end View looking in the direction of arrow 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

taken substantially to Fig. 2, but showing electrical engagement Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line l-'l of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is an isometric View of the sleeve.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal, sectional view of a modified form of the invention showing a pair of socket connectors.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on line lll- Ic of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an end view looking in the direction of arrow Il of Fig. 9.

Fig. l2 is an isometric view of the sleeve shown in Figs. 9, 10 and l1.

Fig. 13 is an end view invention.

Figs. 14 and 15 are sectional views taken on lines ill- I and l 5-1 5, respectively, of Fig. 13.

Fig. 16 is an isometric view of the insulating body shown in Figs. 13, 14 and 15.

Referring to Figs. l through 8, showing the first embodiment of the invention, 2i) designates preferably a one-piece tubular sleeve of insulating material or molded plastic having a through passage 2| adapted to receive a socket member 22. The sleeve and passage in this instance are rectangular in shape. The passage is bounded by top wall 23, side walls 24 and a bottom wall 25. The top wall is provided by a projection 26 which extends a certain distance into the passage intermediate the ends of the passage to provide an abutment 2l so as to limit the inward longitudinal movement of the socket member 22 insertable in the socket receiving end 21a of the sleeve. The bottom wall 25, at the prong receiving end 2lb of passage 2i, is provided with a groove or channel 29 which terminates short of the end 21a but beyond the abutment 21 to provide a second abutment or shoulder 3l, the purpose of which will be described later. In the preferred form, the prong receiving end of the passage 2| is formed with upper inclined guide surfaces 30.

The socket member 22, as shown in Fig. 1, is stamped from resilient sheet metal in the form of a cross when in a fiat state. The stamping includes a base 32, wings or side arms 33 and an end or tongue 34. The end 34 is bent back over one side of the base to provide a U and thus makes the tongue 315 flexible. The tongue 34 is further bent near its extremity toward the base to form a knee. The side arms 33 are bent at right angles from the plane of the base and the arms are bent inwardly and then downward to provide reverse curves over the tongue 34 to provide terminal edges 35 that are parallel with the base 32 with the outer surface oi th@ lifgll of another form of the 3: engaging the edges 35. The tongue is preferably provided with a detent 3G which is located between the edges 35. The base portion 32 is struck out intermediate the wings to provide an integral resilient tang 31 which extends to the other side of the base. The tang 31 is adapted to engage the abutment 3|. This tang is yieldable so as to permit the socket to be inserted in the body and snap into the interlocking relation with the abutment 3|. The end of the base is deformed to provide a pair of integral U-shaped sections 38 and 39 to receive, respectively, bared ends and the insulating cover of a cable 45. The arms of sections 38 and 3Q are clamped against the bare end and insulation, respectively, to hold the cable in assembled relation with the socket member.

When it is desired to assemble the socket member 22 with the sleeve 20, the socket member is inserted from the right end 2m of the body as viewed in Fig. 2 until the ends of the wings or arms engage the abutment 21. When that happens, the free end of tang 31 will snap downwardly into the channel 29 into engagement with abutment 3| to lock the socket member in place with the body or sleeve 20.

When it is desired to connect a spade terminal 1| with the socket member 22, the spade is inserted in the end 2 lo. The rear face of the proiection is tapered at 43, thus the surface 43 and the inclined surfaces 3Q guide the spade terminal into the socket member which is between the edges and the resilient tongue 34. As the spade is inserted into the socket, the tongue 34 will be forced inwardly toward the base 32 and the tendency of the tongue to return toward normal position urges the upper face of the plug against the edges 35. This action causes the edges to scrape the upper face of the spade as the spade is inserted. The spade has an opening to receive the detent 35 as shown in Fig. 4. When in this position, the tongue 34 will firmly press the spade terminal into good electrical engagement with the edges.

When it is desired to disassemble the socket member from the sleeve 22, the tongue is made free of the abutment 3|. This is accomplished by inserting a proper tool into the channel 29 and lift the free end of the tang 31 out of engagement with the abutment whereupon the socket member 22 can be pulled to the right (Fig. 2)

In Figs. 9 through 12, a different embodiment is shown, and this embodiment employs a plurality of connecting means including a body or sleeve du of insulating material having a through passage 5|. As viewed in Fig. 9, the passage comprises two sections 52 and 53. The section 52 has a much larger space area than 53. The section 52 is adapted to receive a pair oi socket members or receptacles 54 while the section 53 is adapted to receive a single plug terminal such as a spade terminal used with the first embodiment of the invention.

The section 53 is in communication with section 52, and the sections are so arranged that a pair of diametrical abutments 55 are provided and a pair of cam surfaces 5B are formed leading to section 53. The section 53 is provided with a pair of opposed grooves 51 extending from the end of the body and terminating short of the cam surfaces to provide a pair of abutments 58 in section 53.

In the second form of the invention, a modied form of socket receptacle or terminal 6|) is used. In this instance, the socket terminal 60 is also stamped from resilient sheet metal in a form of a cross and includes, when the stamping is in a at state, a flat base 52, Side arms or wings 63, and tongue ends 5E. and The end 64 is bent angularly over the base G2 to provide a resilient tongue and the end 65 is bent angularly over the base toward the tongue 65 to provide a yieldable hook tongue. The tongue B is deformed to provide a detent 51. In this form of the invention, the base 62 is provided with an opening 68. The wings or side arms 63 are bent angularly with respect to the base and then bent inwardly and then downwardly to provide plug terminal edges t9 which are parallel with the base '552. The terminal edges 59 are so arranged that they extend above the resilient tongue Gi which due to its own resiliency bears firmly against the edges 69.

As mentioned heretofore the section 52 is adapted to receive two socket members or receptacles 60 with the bases opposite each other. Such bases are separated from each other by a non-conducting spacer 10 having a stem 1| provided with lugs 12, one on each side of the stem, to be received by the respective opening Bt in the bases 62. The stem 1| extends only a short distance beyond the openings 68 so as to provide a space or gap between the flat bases 52 adapted to receive a spade type terminal. Each base is provided with a detent 13, which extend toward one another and these detents are so arranged that they will extend into an opening of the spade terminal to assist in holding same between the bases 62. The outer end oi the spacer is provided with a U-shaped or prismatic end 14 extending laterally on opposite sides of the stem. The inner surfaces of the U-shaped end which extend beyond the sides of the stem have the same contour as the bends which integrally connect the tongues with the bases. The prismatic surfaces of the end 14 guide spade terminals into their respective sockets.

When it is desired to assemble two socket members within the body 50, the two socket members 60 and the spacer 14 are assembled in proper relation and then inserted in the larger section 52 until the inner end of the wings or arms engage respective abutments 55. As the receptacles are being forced into the section 52, the hooked tongues will yield when they engage their respective cam surfaces 56 and bend inwardly against their resistance. At the instant the free ends are beyond the abutments 58, which is substantially the same time the ends of wing abut shoulder 55, the hooked ends will spring outwardly in the groove 51 and overlie the abutments 58. The receptacles 60 can be removed from the body by inserting a proper tool in the section 53 to move the free ends or" the hooked tangs out of engagement with their respective abutments whereupon the tool can be moved longitudinally until the free ends engage surfaces 15. After this, the receptacle can be forced or pulled out by hand.

Referring to the third form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 13 through 16, there is shown another form of body 80, of insulating material having a plurality of longitudinally extending through passages 8|, 82 and S3 in substantially parallel relation and arranged in a U-formation, each passage is capable of receiving a socket receptacle 22 of the type described in the first form of the invention. There is a change in the formation of the through passages in this third form. Since all of the passages in the body aesaoss are substantially identical, it is believed that the description of one of the passages Will be sufficient. Referring to Figs. 13 and 14, passage 8| is preferably rectangular in cross section bounded by top wall 84, bottom wall 85 and side walls 88. The rear extremity of the passage 8| is restricted by an abutment 81 extending upwardly and across the rear end of the passage and from the wall 85 so that the rear of the opening is slightly smaller than the rest of the passage 8|. The top wall in this passage is interrupted by a groove or channel 88 Which terminates within the passage to provide a shoulder 88 spaced beyond the abutment 81 and toward the front of the passage.

The socket member 22 is inserted from the front end of the passage until the forward ends of the Wings or arms engage the abutment 81. As the socket member is moved toward its nal position in the passages, the resilient tongue will bend inwardly against its resiliency until the free end of the tang is beyond the abutment 89, which is substantially the same time the ends of the wings engage abutment 81, and snap outwardly into the groove 88 and behind the abutment member 89. 'I'he receptacle 22 can be removed from the body by inserting a proper tool in the groove 88 and pry the tang 22 free of engagement with the shoulder 89 whereupon the receptacle may be pushed out the front end of the opening through which it was originally introduced.

'I'he socket receptacles of the present invention are very economical to make, to assemble and disassemble and at the same time are very reliable.

It will be noted that in each form of the invention the resilient tongue lies longitudinally and angularly between the base and the rigid edges of the side arms and that the bend which integrally connects the base and the tongue is located at that end of the receptacle to receive a spade type terminal. This means that when the terminal is inserted between the tongue and the edges, the tongue swings inwardly in a pivoted movement from points substantially near the points of junction with the base. The tendency of the tongue to return toward normal position at all times effects a spring engagement between the spade and the edges thereby making a good electrical engagement.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. A contact socket member comprising a onepiece member of spring metal, said member being provided with a base having side flanges provided with reverse bends facing the base to provide plug engaging edges and having an integral tongue angled away from the base and biased against the edges.

2. A contact socket member comprising a onepiece member of spring metal, said member being provided with a substantially flat base having side flanges provided with reverse bends extending toward each other to provide plug engaging edges and an integral tongue provided ywith a detent connected to the base by a bend and biased against the edges.

3. A contact socket member comprising a onepiece member of spring metal, said member being provided with a base having a resilient tang projecting from one side of the plane of the base and having side ilanges projecting from the other side of the base, said side flanges being provided with reverse bends facing the base to provide plug engaging edges, a tongue integrally connected with the base by a bend and biased against the edges, said anges and said tang being arranged for locking the socket member with respect to a support.

4. A contact socket member comprising a base having side flanges provided with reverse bends facing the base to provide plug engaging edges, a leaf spring disposed between the flanges and connected at one end to the base and having its free end biased against the edges whereby when a plug is inserted ybetween the edges and the leaf spring, said leaf spring will maintain the plug in good contact engagement with the edges.

5. An electrical connection means comprising a onepiece elongated receptacle bent upon itself to provide a substantially U-shaped member, side flanges integrally connected with one of the legs and straddling the other leg, said flanges having reverse bends overlapping the other leg and facing the said one leg to provide plug terminal engaging edges; a resilient tang struck out from said one leg and projecting from the plane of same in the direction of the flanges, said tang and flanges providing the means for locking the connecting means with respect to a support.

An electrical contact socket for receiving a plug terminal comprising, a base; a plurality of arms extending angularly from the base on opposite sides of the base, the end portion of the arms being inwardly curved to provide rigid plug terminal engaging edges, said edges being spaced from and parallel with the base; a resilient tongue integrally connected to one end of the base and inwardly curved to provide a loop portion, the free end of which being located below the edges for engaging the surfaces under tension, said tongue being effectve to provide a good electrical connection between said edges and the plug and the tongue.

7. An electrical connection comprising a body of insulating material, said body being provided with a through passage, one wall of the passage being provided with a ilrst stop and having an opposite wall provided with a groove extending from one end of the body and terminating short of the flrst stop to provide a second stop; a onepiece socket member of spring metal confined Within the passage, said member having a base provided with side flanges having their innermost ends engaging the flrst stop, said flanges having reverse bends facing the base to provide plug engaging edges, said base also having a resilient tang struck out from the plane of the base and engaging the second stop, and in integral tongue connected with the base by a bend and biased against the edges, said flanges and tang cooperating with their respective stops to lock the member within the passage.

8. An electrical connection means comprising a substantially U-member, one arm of which has side flanges straddling the other arm having a detent, said flanges having reverse bends overlapping said other arm to provide plug engaging edges, said other arm being biased against the edges, a resilient tang struck out of the plane of said one arm, said flanges and the tang being arranged to engage, respectively, abutments within a hollow body of non-conducting material for locking said connection means therein.

9. A contact socket member comprising a onepiece substantially U-shaped spring member, one

arm .of the member being substantially straight and having an'integral resilient tang :extending -laterally `outward .from the normal-plane .of the base, and having side flanges provided with 'reverse bends to provide plug engaging edges parallel with the base and extending over the other arm beyond the apex of the U said other arm being biased against the dges and having its free :end bent toward the base.

10. A contact socket member comprising va onepiece substantially `U-shaped springmember, one arm of the member being substantially straight and having a resilient tang struck out therefrom beyond the apex of the U and having side flanges straddling the other arm, said flanges being 'bent inwardly upon themselves to provide Vplug engaging edges facing the base beyond the apex of the U, said other arm being biased against the edges and having its free end bent toward the `base to permit easy insertion of the plug between the arm and the edges.

l1. A socket for electrical plug-'in terminals, comprising a molded body of insulating material having a pocket extending from one end of the body and of such formation to receive a `pair of .plug-in prongs; a second pocket extending from the other end of the body and formed to receive a single prong and communicating with the first mentioned pocket, the combination therewith of a pair of detachable elongated metal female contact members in the first mentioned pocket and having their innermost end extending into the second mentioned socket in spaced relation so as to receive a plug terminal therebetween.

12. A socket for plug-in terminals, comprising a molded insulated housing having a relatively large pocket extending inwardly from one end -oi the housing and a smaller lpocket extending inwardly from the other end of the housing and communicating with the larger pocket, in combination with a pair of female contact members insertable in the large pocket and confined within both pockets, said larger pocket having stop shoulders to limit respectively longitudinal movement of the contact members in one direction; a non-conducing spacer between the contact members to separate the contact members and also to provide space between the contact members within the smaller pocket so as to receive and grip a plug contact inserted in the small pocket; i

a pair of opposed grooves in the smaller pocket extending from the end of the housing and ter- .minating short of the stops to provide a pair of shoulders; and yadditional means provided by each contact member for interlocking respectivei ly with one of the shoulders for preventing longitudinal movement of the contact member in the opposite direction, said additional means being yieldable so as to permit some yield during insertion of the contact member into the small pocket and snap behind the shoulders.

13. An electrical connection comprising a nonconducting body providing a throughopening reduced longitudinally from a large dimension at one end to a smaller dimension at the other end and providing a pair of opposite internal stops, said smaller dimension of the opening Vhaving a pair of opposed grooves, each of said grooves extending from the smaller end of -the body and terminating short of the first mentioned stops,

a pair of terminal receptacles received by the larger portion of the opening, a non-.conducting spacer disposed between the receptacles, the dimensional .length of the spacer being substan- .tiallyless thanthe longitudinal lengthof the reeasing, respectively,

`movement of the-receptacles relative to the body in an opposite direction, said additional means being yieldable so as to permit the same to yield during insertion of the receptacles into the body and snap behind the second mentioned stops.

i4. In a plug-in socket, the combination of a one-,piece body lhaving a generally rectangular shaped passage therethrough, comprising -two sections, one having a greater area than the other to form a Apair of opposite shoulders at the juncture fof the two sections inside the housing, said smaller sections `also having a pair of opposed shoulders, a -pair of socket contact members extending `from the section having the larger area and into the section having the smaller area, said contact members having portions contacting the shoulders of the respective sections to retain and fix thesame in the housing.

15. In a plug-in socket, the combination of a `one-piece body of insulating material having a generally rectangular passage therethrough, comprising two sections, one having a greater area than the other to form a first pair of opposite shoulders at the juncture of the two sections, a pair of grooves Yformed on opposite walls of the smaller sections, said grooves extending from the end of the body and terminating short of said section to provide asecond pair ofshoulders in line with the first pair of shoulders; a pair of socket lterminals -inounted Ain the sections in a manner so that each socket terminal is adapted to receive, respectively, a prong -inserted in the larger section and simultaneously to provide kfor spacing of said `socket terminal in the smaller section to effect clamping of a Aprong between the terminals when inserted in the smaller section, said terminal ymembers having integral portions contacting, respectivelylined shoulders to prevent longitudinal movement of the contacts in either direction.

16. A terminal socket member comprising a base having one end bent back on itself .to provide a tongue, a plurality of spaced armsextending angularly from said base on opposite sides of saidbase and straddling the tongue, the end portions of said arms being curved inwardly to provide a rigid curved portion, the ends of rwhich face the base and engage the tongue and hold the tongue under tension, said ends and tongue 'adapted to receive a prong whereby the resilient tongue is effective formaking an electrical connection between the resilient tongue and the prong and the ends of the curved portions.

17. A socket for plug-in terminals, comprising a molded body of .insulating .material .having a recess therein extending from one end and having a contour .for-admitting a-pair-of prongs;.a secondary recess extending from the other end for admitting a single prongand communicating with the .first mentioned recess, in combination with a pair of metal socket vcontactselectrically insulated from each other inthe rst mentioned recess, each contact adapted to receive a prong inserted in the first mentioned recessand both contacts adapted to make engagement with a .single .prong inserted in the secondary recess,

said body having a pair of opposite shoulders at the communication or the recesses to prevent longitudinal movement of the contacts in one direction and having a pair or opposed grooves in the secondary recess extending from the end of the body and terminating short of the rst men tioned shoulder tc provide a second pair of shoulders for engagement by said contact members to prevent longitudinal movement of the contacts in the other direction.

18. Anelectrical connection comprising, a body of insulating material having a passage extending therethrough, said passage being formed to provide an enlarged section and a restricted section; a pair of independent circuit continuing female members fitting Within the enlarged secn tion of the opening, each adapted to receive simultaneously a male terminal member, said. female members having portions extending into the restricted section for receiving another male member therebetween from the restricted end of the passage, said pair of circuit continuing members being so constructed and arranged that said mem bers must be moved to position within said restricted section only by inserting the members from the enlarged section of the passage, and said members being dependent upon operation when said members are electrically connected by said other male member.

i9. In combination, a non-conducting body providing a through passage reduced in one direction from a larger dimension at one end to a smaller dimension at the other end, a pair of plug receiving sockets insertable into the passage from the large end and yieldably interlocked with the body; a non-conducting spacer having a stem portion interposed between the sockets and having integral lateral portions projecting on opposite sides of the stem embracing portions of the sockets exposed within the larger end of the passage to prevent a plug terminal inserted in the larger end of the passage from being pushed between the sockets, said stem having a longitu- -dinal length considerably less than the longitudinal lengths of the sockets whereby a space is provided beyond the stem between the sockets adjacent the smaller end of the passage to receive .10 and grip a plug insertable at the smaller end of the passage.

20. A socket for plug-in devices, comprising a molded insulated housing having a socket of relatively large area extending inwardly from one end of the housing and a smaller area socket extending inwardly from the other end of the housing, said last socket being in communication with the rst mentioned socket in combination with a pair of female contact members in said first mentioned socket, said socket having a pair of stop shoulders to limit, respectively, longitudinal movement of the contact members in one direction; a non-conducting spacer between the contact members to separate the members adjacent the socket having the larger area and to provide a space between the contact portion adjam cent the socket having the smaller area so as to receive and grip a plug inserted in the smaller socket; a pair of opposed grooves in the smaller socket extending from the end of the housing and terminating short of the stops to provide a pair of shoulders, and additional means provided by each contact for interlocking, respectively, with one of the shoulders to prevent longitudinal movement of the contacts in the opposite direction, said additional means being yieldable so as to permit the contacts to yield during insertion of the contacts into the smaller socket and snap behind the shoulders.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

